The Iranian ship
Photo: AP
Cyprus: Israel can't make demands regarding suspected arms ship
Cypriot president, who confirmed Friday that ship from Iran, bearing his country's flag, had violated UN Security Council sanctions, hopes issue to be resolved in upcoming days
The government of Cyprus hopes that the issue of alleged arms smuggling aboard a Cypriot-flagged ship will soon be concluded, the country's president said Monday.
Last Thursday, at the request of the United States and Israel,
Cyprus detained and ordered the search of a ship bearing the flag of Cyprus and suspected of bearing armaments meant for Gaza. By Monday, Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias hoped to put the issue to rest.
Detained Ship
Cypriot president: Vessel's cargo appears to violate Security Council resolutions
“Things are evolving and when we have something to say on the matter, we will say it,” Cypriot press reported Christofias as saying in response to journalists' questions.
It has been alleged that the ship, which originated in Iran, was forced by a US military vessel to dock at Limassol port to have its cargo inspected, in order to establish whether there has been a contravention of UN Security Council sanctions, as claimed.
Last Friday, Christofias confirmed the authorities had detained a ship. He said the cargo appeared to be "in contravention of Security Council resolutions," but declined to give further details.
Asked Monday when the whole matter might be concluded, President Christofias said he did not know. To date, the ship remains docked at Limassol port, on the southern coast.
“It is possible that it may come to a close tonight but it may not. We shall have a final conclusion of the matter within the next few days,” the President told reporters.
Christofias said questions of whether Israel had demanded confiscation of the ship's cargo were irrelevant to the matter at hand. Ynet reported Saturday that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni had called her counterpart in Cyprus and asked that the arms be removed from the ship in question.
“How can the Israelis have any demands from us? They cannot have demands from the Republic of Cyprus,” Christofias said Monday, in reference to the call.
The government has said that the issue is delicate and sensitive and called for patience.
